Advantages of pulling out of WTO not obvious, Russia not fulfilling many obligations as it is - PM

MOSCOW. March 23 (Interfax) - The expediency of pulling out of the World Trade Organization is not obvious: membership has its advantages even amid today's severe sanctions-related pressure, and does not get in Russia's way, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said.

Russia joined the WTO in August 2013.

"Pulling out of the WTO. A good thing or bad? We have actually been making whatever decisions we want for ten years now. As of today, if you like, we have not been fulfilling these obligations for a long time. We impose counter-sanctions, we ban the import of raw materials for the agro-industrial complex and many, many things," the prime minister said, commenting on the speeches by representatives of the factions during the government's report in the State Duma.

"Today, we need to look very carefully - will it do us any good? This issue [WTO membership] does not get in our way," he said. "Get out and you lose the mechanisms that still exist, even if they are not fully implemented. We need to analyze it. I want to say that the situation here is not obvious, we need to look and think about it," Mishustin said.